Tuesdays with Gorney: New 2025 Rivals250 released

The focus has turned to the 2025 class and the new 2025 Rivals250 was released on Tuesday. As is typical, Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney gives his thoughts position-by-position on the new rankings:

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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK

Sunday: Who should be No. 1?

Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Meet the new five-stars

Tuesday: New Rivals250 released | Gorney goes position-by-position | Biggest movers

Wednesday: New offensive position rankings

Thursday: New defensive position rankings

Friday: New state rankings

Saturday: Rankings roundtable

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CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals100

TRANSFER PORTAL: Latest news | Transfer search | Transfer tracker/player ranking (football) | Transfer team ranking (football) | Transfer tracker/player ranking (basketball) | Transfer team ranking (basketball) | Rivals Portal Twitter

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The pro-style quarterback group is absolutely loaded at the top led by No. 1 overall Julian Lewis but Bryce Underwood, the more we see him at national events, could be making an argument for that top position as well.

Lewis, who’s committed to USC as Georgia and others are trying to flip him, is so smart and so smooth. He rarely throws a bad pass. Underwood, committed to LSU, is so dynamic and such a playmaker that he has all the tools to be No. 1 overall as well.

That’s not all. Texas commit KJ Lacey makes every throw look so easy and effortless. Tennessee pledge George MacIntyre has excellent size and he’s an underrated athlete. Ohio State commit Tavien St. Clair is a little under the radar on a national level, but he has everything needed to have a huge career in Columbus.

At dual-threat quarterback, Deuce Knight got knocked down a peg in the four-star status after an up-and-down performance at the Under Armour Atlanta camp. Michigan pledge Carter Smith is really an interesting prospect who could take over the No. 1 spot there but we just need to see him more in person. Every time we see four-star Madden Iamaleava, he looks better.

The running back position could see a lot of movement over the coming year and there will be a lot of healthy debate about where players should be ranked.

We stayed with Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei’s Jordon Davison at No. 1 but LSU commit Harlem Berry has phenomenal junior season film and could take over that top spot. Alvin Henderson put up incredible stats this past season at Elba, Ala., but he also had a ton of carries and ran a slower time at UA Atlanta so that will be something to consider moving forward.

Those aren’t the only names that could move higher and possibly take the top spot. We just need to see some of these guys more at national events. That list includes Clemson commit Gideon Davidson, four-star Ousmane Kromah from South Georgia and Byron Louis as the top running back in Florida.

I’ll never say never but moving Dakorien Moore off the top line at receiver is going to be very tough. Not only did he have a phenomenal junior season but he was so good this past offseason making impossible catches. He’s clearly the best receiver in the class. Naples (Fla.) First Baptist Academy’s Winston Watkins Jr. is the only other five-star – for now.

We had a lengthy discussion about moving Ackerman (Miss.) Choctaw County’s Caleb Cunningham to five-star status. We love his athleticism and playmaking ability both in football and basketball, but we’d also like to see him more against national competition.

Jaime Ffrench is as consistent as they come, Donovan Olugbode has been solid this offseason and Derek Meadows is definitely one to watch. The Las Vegas Bishop Gorman standout was awesome at Battle Miami and might be the most physically impressive receiver in the class.

Ohio State commit Jayvan Boggs plays just like former five-star Brandon Inniss so he might be someone who moves up as well.

This is a loaded tight end group at the top and there could be some movement here since Georgia commit Elyiss Williams, who’s still being heavily pursued by Florida State and others, is at the top. He’s an outstanding-looking prospect, but is he the best tight end in the class?

Goodland, Kan., four-star Linkon Cure is big, physical and athletic as Kansas State looks best there. Kiotti Armstrong and DaSaahn Brame look great and play well, too. The list is long, though, as two others that have stood out on tape is Brock Schott and Hollis Davidson among others.

After watching tons of tape and seeing these players again in person, the offensive tackle group is loaded in the 2025 class. We now have four five-stars and while David Sanders Jr. looks like a very solid pick to stay No. 1 at the position (and No. 2 nationally), others will push him.

Las Vegas Bishop Gorman’s Douglas Utu never loses a rep. Ohio State commit and new five-star Carter Lowe is super athletic and physical. Ty Haywood, another new five-star, might be the most physical tackle in the class.

Notre Dame commit Owen Strebig and Andrew Babalola out of Kansas are two others we’re watching for potential five-star status down the road.

At offensive guard and center, it’s excellent at the top but we’re still looking for more proven depth there. Florida State commit Solomon Thomas is a new five-star and he’s phenomenal – athletic, tough and moves people where he wants them.

Former Alabama commit Dontrell Glover and center SJ Alofaituli have elite qualities as well.

Defensive tackle is absolutely loaded with Georgia commit Justus Terry leading the way (although Alabama, Florida State and others are coming after him) and Savannah (Ga.) Christian School’s Elijah Griffin, who has Georgia very high on his list, leading the way. There could be a lot more movement here as well because Mid-Atlantic standouts Maxwell Roy and Trenton Wilson are moving up quickly.

We’re less sure on the layout at either defensive end spot and this might be a down year at those two positions. At weakside, Florida State commit Javion Hilson leads the way but Ohio State pledge Zahir Mathis or Zion Grady, a former Alabama commit who could be leaning to Georgia now, will contest.

At strongside, three of the top four players at the position are from Illinois with Nathaniel Marshall, Christopher Burgess and Iose Epenesa among that group. Greensboro (N.C.) Grimsley’s Bryce Davis is among that group as well.

The outside linebacker group does not have any five-stars yet but many prospects could be making that jump after this offseason and heading into their senior years.

Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy’s Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, Ellaville (Ga.) Schley County’s Zayden Walker and Eastman (Ga.) Dodge County’s Darrell Johnson, who has exploded on the national scene in recent months, are all candidates. It’s a long list at outside linebacker but if California linebackers Nasir Wyatt and Madden Faraimo are fourth and fifth down, respectively, then it's a great year at outside linebacker.

Inside, we’re still figuring it out. Riley Pettijohn, who could be a Texas lean, leads the way but Miami commit Elijah Melendez, USC lean Noah Mikhail, LSU commit Keylan Moses and others stand out early on.

I get a little nervous when all of our top cornerbacks are 6-foot-1 or taller since we generally fall in love with their length but when it comes to first-round draft picks, those guys are actually pretty rare. For now, though, we’re of the opinion that Ohio State commits Devin Sanchez and Na’eem Offord are really special and can cover at their size. Mission Viejo, Calif., recruit Dijon Lee and former Michigan commit Chris Ewald are among others that great as well. It’s a deep list at cornerback, well into the 20s.

The top safety in the 2025 class – five-star Jonah Williams – could end up moving down to linebacker at some point in this recruiting cycle. There is some serious quality behind him though led by high four-stars Faheem Delane and Trey McNutt, both of whom could end up with the Buckeyes. Hylton Stubbs, who could have Florida high on the list, and Charles Bass from East St. Louis, Ill., have been especially impressive this offseason.

If there was ever a quintessential five-star athlete it would be DJ Pickett, who has the speed and length of an elite outside receiver with the playmaking ability and length of a five-star safety. Some programs are talking about using him both ways (which is unlikely) but it speaks to how versatile the Zephyrhills, Fla., standout is on the field.

Tennessee is in a strong spot with Chattanooga (Tenn.) Baylor School’s Cameron Sparks, who gives off JuJu Smith-Schuster vibes, and Orlando (Fla.) Jones four-star athlete Vernell Brown III is having as good of an offseason as anybody in the country.